Pokémon TCG is a great game, but building a winning Pokémon deck is hard. This article will give you some tips for building a great deck (this is for people that already know how to play).

Steps

1

First, decide on what type of Pokémon you want to use. There are nine types to choose from and each of them have their advantages and disadvantages. For example, Fire-type Pokémon can dish out a lot of damage but may hurt their teammates in the process. Electric-type is great for those who like speedy hit and run attacking, but those Pokémon usually have lower HP. (See Tips section for more.) You can stick with just one type or choose 2 or more.

2

If you decide to use one type, great! Just remember that you might not have much Pokémon to choose from that type. If you decide to use two or more types, you will have more Pokémon to choose from but will risk drawing the wrong energy cards during a game.

3

Once you have decided on what types you want, find 10 to 25 energy cards that match the types you choose.

4

Now it's time to choose your Pokémon! You should have at least 10 to 20 Pokémon in your deck. About 50% of it should be Basic Pokémon, 30% Stage 1, and 20% Stage 2, but you can change it depending on your playing style. If you add too many Stage 1 and 2 Pokémon, you might not be able to find their basic forms when drawing.

5

Choose Pokémon that have attacks that work well together. For example, if you decided to put Hippowdon (Rising Rivals 25) in your deck, consider also putting in Manectric (Platinum 11) in because Manectric can stop Hippowdon from hurting the Pokémon on your bench with its Electric Barrier Poke-body.

6

After you have decided on your Pokémon, it's time to select some of the most important cards of your deck; Trainer and Supporter cards.

7

Try to choose trainer cards that remove damage counters, like Potion, or helps you find the Pokémon you need.

8

Select Supporter cards that lets you look through your deck of cards to find other cards, or possibly discard your opponents cards!